The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-08-06
GOLDEN GREED.

There goss that fool boarder OF ours Of
on an expedition to breskneck rocks" re-
marked Mrs. Throop to herself. looking
after hroad.shouldered young man who
was disappearing in the distance. al
wonder what daughter OF mine secs in
such fellow. Igusas geoiogiat Is another
name for lunatic," shaking her head In
q deprecatiDg way.
;Robert Dsnning, the object OF her
thoughts, meanwhile walked on through
the woodu, He had q spade in his hand
and sschel iull OF hsmmeEs and chisels,
but bis mission was not ecientiGc one by
any means.
A year ago In lawless mining camp a
nnteddespsrsdo named Left Handed Dick,
while in the agony OF death, had confeas.
regions and buried the gold. lie died
alter telling Robert DenniDg where tho
money could DO found, and the young
man hsd hsstened to seek the treasure |;
for he had been poor oil his lie and was
eager for wealth. That WIS how he came
10 be bosrder at Mrs. Thropp's, and why
he 80 often sought certain rAvins near
he school house whore her daughter
Esmeralds taught.
Noticing how often no visited the spot,
the Girl aaid one day:
"You like this spot, evidently?"
"Yee," answered Robert, little coz
iused; ''il's growing beautiful 90 gradual
ly."
"Yet it's not the best locality for your
business"
mo-" was all that he could anBwor, and
then tho two walked on in silence.
81 had prcat fright here last summer"
said the girl, looking about her. at was
in Juue-the los. Of tone OF those close,
sultry idays that We often have at that
season, l had not noticed the tiny black
cloud that might have told me oil the
coming istorm till great crash startled
me-. wss stricken TO the earth, and an
old tree near me, sycamore, was literally
torn asunder."
Robert gnaped his heart bsat painfully.
"a sycanore!" be exclaimed.
"ies, here is the stump. See! already
the ferns are growing shout it. In time
mcas will cushion it. Nature is kind"
Robert heard the voice as in dream.
he ReB standing at the stump abe pointed
out, but did not Gee the graceful ferns with
which nature sought to-e8rer itB wounds
&c cav instead the coveted treasure. The
CLEAN OF the gold dezz!ea him. He swept
his hand across his eyes with fear that it
vas all Il dream, but the stump was still
there.
"You do nat look we'll, said the girl, re-
garding hiu, aud there was something
more than common interest in har tones.
II an not" answered R1be.t; ~ think
l shall ~ 10 Rashlsisa Tonight gnd see
physician"
He nsd lakon his decision. That night
the work must be done, aud 30 he sc.
counted ior his sb5snGa.
The rsst. OF tnu walk he was abstracted,
but his companion attributed it to sick
nest, and kindly ehatted on to relieve the
silence.
That night with beating heart Robert
Denniny stole oUt Of the house and
sought thu rayiRo. a few moments dig
cling and be had gneartheG loag box
that gave forth a metallic chink. He
clutcGea 1t ssgs:ly, while his brain see,n
10 rsei rs th0uph on fire. 90 hsd found
the treasure. He WAS rich.
II only took him few monents to re-
move nlI trsces Of his work, snd IA half
hour he waa back in hia room in the cot
taye. There he opened the box, aud
found, as he bad hoped, packsge Of notes
tied up in oiled eiik aud several rolls OF
gold pieces. All night he spsnt gazing at
tho treasure, but he did not feel the Joy
Ia possessing it that he had imagined. In
his car the words were ringing: "You
are rohbipg the dead You are cheating
the fatherIess!"
When Esmeraldg stole up to his room
the next morning with his breakfast she
found him in dangerous deiirium. With
her mothers help they finally succeeded
in persuading bin to 90 to bed. There
he lay muttering to himself over and over:
"Oh! let mo only live aud will restore
everything!" and then he would start up
and. ecream for them to bring him gold.
OF Esmerslda he oltan spoke in loving
terme.
When Robert Denning struggled back
child. He lay and watched the sun-
beams lying on the coVerlet with interest,
and followed the shimmering mosts OF
dust floating in tho light with his eyes.
His kind nurses, whose care had brought
him back from the gates OF death, uttered
! prayers Of Thanksgiving. But Esmeralda
noted with o secret psng that he uttered
40 word OF love, and that rs he grew bet.
| GER look Of sadness filed his eyes when
they rested on her.
"Ae has forgotten that he loved me in
tho terrible struggle between life aud
DEATH" she thought. ~
And tho color iaded from her cheek and
she went about very silently.
But Robsrt had forgotten nothing, and
| mad learned great deal. He had
learned how worthless vas the treasure
] that one is forced to drop ct those awful
sstes of death. Ho made up his mind to
make full restitution, and told the two
women bis story. "NoE that am a poor
msn, Esmeralda, how can ask you to
keep your promise?" he Raid.
Esmeralda was silent, for her mother
eprnug forward with excitement.
"PerhapB yon would like to know the
mans name who TEs murdered2" she
exclaimed. He Was my own husband,
John wilson .Thro0p. "0h, the story i
we'll known about here. You had only to
,sk to find out, young msn!". che said
ssernly. ut WAS villainoua deed. How
| / lived through the sight l don't know.
God tempess the wind to the sborn lamb j;
and six children. too! Esther and fortune
gone in day. But Pm thankful God has
remembered US" And bitter burst
NJ waning followed,
Robert Denning shrsnk from meeting
the eyes OF the woman he loved. How
mean, how low no fslt in her presence!